Despite the pervading lull occasioned by the Ramadan season, frontline presidential contenders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are leaving nothing to chance in their bid to get the nod of the party to fly the party's flag in next year's elections.


With eyes on the forthcoming national convention of the party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who only joined the party six months ago has made tremendous inroads through benchmarking his wide network of contacts within and outside the party. Also high on the beat is former military Head of State and three-time presidential runner, Gen Mohammadu Buhari (retd) and Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.


While Buhari has already opened campaign offices in about 22 states evenly spread in the six geo-political zones, Kwankwaso has stepped up his consultative base, reaching out to influential power brokers within and outside the party. His consultations so far have been limited to the North where, Sunday Sun learnt, he plans to make his initial stronghold, through "endearing the APC and his person to the people." As part of his strategic manoeuvre, he recently floated a survey poll to ascertain his popularity and chances of clinching the party ticket, against interested and tested heavyweights like Atiku and Buhari.


While his relentless attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have shored up his popularity in the party, he is said to be constrained by peer rivalry and limited geo-political vision.


Most of the power players from the South, who would ordinarily have teamed up with him, are gradually withdrawing since the entry of Atiku into the race, and have indeed counseled on a mellowed anti-south sentiments in order to have a hitch-free victory.


"His views on North-South issues are too strong for a man who wants to be presidential candidate of a national party. He needs to moderate these views and carry everyone along" Sunday Sun was told.


Some of his arch-supporters who have apparently taken a reticent lukewarmness to his ambition include Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, and former Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki.


In fact Amaechi, who initially was positioned as his running mate has since re-aligned and has had extensive discussions with Atiku.


Buhari's presidential ambition in the party has never waned. The ex-military General has nurtured and dressed-up a close rapport and association with the power base of the party, fuelling speculations that the ticket is his, just for the asking.


The burgeoning relationship with a leader of the party, and former Lagos governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been the source of multiple frictions in the party and innuendoes of a Muslim/Muslim ticket plot. The lid to the plot blew open during and after the recent first national convention of the party. It has led to mass-disaffection with notable party stalwarts like former Borno State governor Alli Modu Sheriff, and ex-minister Femi Fani-Kayode defecting to the PDP.


Suspicions of a pact between Buhari and Tinubu which paved the way for a rancour-free constitution of the National Executive of the party and zoning of elective offices have also elevated Buhari's ambition while thwarting the interests of prospects. "He did not raise his finger against Tinubu's imposition of officers. The duo also conspired to zone offices including elective ones tothe zones that will match their interest. The fact that Buhari began opening offices and doing subtle campaign when others were yet to recover from the ripples of the convention is another pointer to their well-heeled plot," Sunday Sun was told.


Reacting to the development, spokesman of Atiku, Mallam Garba Shehu, while not denying emphatically that the Turakin Adamawa has opened offices and intensified consultations said, "Turakin has never left politics. There are always politicians around him. I don't know if that is what people are referring to as consultations. On the issue of campaign offices, we only have an APC support office in Yola. I am not aware that there are other offices in other states."


He described the campaign posters, pairing Atiku with Amaechi, which have adorned some major streets in Abuja, Yola and Port-Harcourt as the handiwork of "mischievous people". You know, sometimes people do some of these things to achieve certain selfish ends. If posters are to be printed, my office will see to it, and as I am talking to you now, we have not printed any."


Shehu also explained Atiku's role in the zoning of elective offices and emergence of national officers of the party at the last convention.


The former vice-president allegedly refrained from interfering with the methods that propped up the zoning and substantive national officersand has since remained indifferent despite rife speculations about his frontline presidential aspiration status.


"My principal allowed the fowls to have their pick, and they did. No one is rattled. Turakin is a firm believer in democracy and its ideals. The presidential ticket has been zoned to the North. That is the battlefield," Shehu explained.


Calculations within the party are pointing towards an upset. The general belief is that of a likelihood of a Buhari/Tinubu candidature, but there are also conjectures that Atiku may cause an upset because of the perception that he has what it takes to give President Goodluck Jonathan and his PDP a good run. Those who are inclined to this, cite his political astuteness, and how he snatched the Northern consensus ticket ahead of acknowledged bigwigs including General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), Buhari, and General Aliyu Gusau (retd) in 2010.


Meanwhile, the three presidential aspirants have been linked to some faceless motley groups within the party drumming support for their aspirations. One of the groups, "National Support Initiative" in a statement last week canvassed support for Kwankwaso's presidential ambition, describing him "as a patriot and selfless leader."


The Turaki Vanguard similarly is in the forefront of the former vice-president's ambition. The group, led by N'dua Wakado earlier last month enunciated his sterling qualities and pre-qualification for the exalted seat. "He is detribalized, visionary, courageous and an unrivalled philanthropist. He deserves the ticket of the party and the exalted seat of the president," the statement said.


On the issue of presidential running mate, while Tinubu is believed to be in near-full grasp of it, the outgoing Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi is being positioned as a fall back in case Tinubu's candidacy fails to pull through.


Fayemi's name has dwarfed other fringe contenders since the June 21 catastrophic governorship elections in Ekiti State. Since the position has been zoned to the South- west generally presumed as the biggest stronghold of the APC, other aspirants like the Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, and ex-Abia State governor and former national chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, may have re-adjusted their interests in line with the party policy. There is a perceptible freeze in their wide consultations across the length and breadth of the country since the last convention. Okorocha, who initially wanted to fly the flag of the party, necessitating his controversial defection from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) later modified his ambition for a vice- presidential slot. He had engaged in a whirlwind campaign criss-crossing the nation, meeting influential Emirs, colleague-governors and other eminent leaders of thought within and outside the party. He had hoped to leverage on his position as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum. He had also inthe pursuit of this goal awarded monumental contracts covering roads, and buildings to many contractors of Northern extraction in his state, turning Owerri into the mecca of Northerners.


Amaechi, Sunday Sun learnt, still has an outside chance of getting the ticket, owing to his iconic doggedness, passion, courage and enduring political
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